1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicular power generation systems and power generation control methods for the same and, more particularly, relates to a reduction in the amount of fuel to be consumed for power generation of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a generator is installed on a vehicle to supply electric power for various types of electrical loads and to charge a battery. Since the generator is driven by an internal combustion engine to perform power generation, fuel is consumed also for the power generation while the internal combustion engine operates.
On the other hand, in recent years, an improvement of fuel consumption of a vehicle is desired because of environmental problem and a method for reducing the amount of fuel to be consumed for power generation is proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
This prior art is configured to reduce the amount of fuel to be consumed for power generation by performing power generation in an operating range of an internal combustion engine, the operating range being small in the amount of fuel consumption, based on a map of the amount of fuel consumption to which an increase in the amount of fuel consumption with an increase in power of the internal combustion engine due to the power generation is added.